There are a lot of impersonal marketers, products, and services on the web. If you want to stand out fast, all you really have to do is focus on personalization. If you pay attention to the person – to the human at the other end of the screen –you can really make some great headway as a marketer on the web.
It doesn’t matter whether you sell products or services; it's that human connection and the fact that you pay close attention to it that matters to the buyer. You can quickly become a fan favorite if you focus your attention on this principle.
Marketers are constantly trying to find a way to stand out in this industry. Many of them spend tons and tons of money and focus a lot of their attention trying to make this happen. Well, now you have the answer. Really, all they need to do is focus on personalization. The fact that you're seeing this here, right now, puts you far ahead of the rest. Personalize and humanize your marketing and you’ll win, every single time.
There's really no trickery to this. It's not that difficult at all. All you have to do is really care about the success of your readers and customers and show that you care. It doesn’t matter which niche you’re in, you belong to a community. You belong to a community full of real people at the other end of the computer screen.
It's a real community with real feelings, fears, and concerns. There's a real reason people are willing to hand over their hard-earned money for whatever it is you're trying to sell. But at the other end of that has to be human compassion and caring. That's what you can offer, along with your direct attention and focus.
One of the best ways to show this personalization and caring is to offer a real community where these people can gather online. This is one of my favorite ways to stand out in the crowded field of Internet marketing, as you now know. People know me as the head of Earn 1K A Day as well as The IM Inside Track- both the free Facebook group and the paid membership.
Within these communities, I'm able to directly communicate with people in the Internet marketing niche and really help them one-on-one. When you can't be directly in the same room with the person, being part of an online community is the next best thing for personalization and humanity. It's absolutely phenomenal for my business, keeps me compassionate, and really does wonders for the buyer.
One of the big problems in Internet marketing is that so many marketers fail to be accessible. They feel they can just sell products and melt away into the background. It's great to outsource and to put up buy buttons all over the web. But when you eliminate yourself, you’re eliminating a huge part of the equation. You're not a huge Fortune 500 company. You, most likely, are the single person in your business. Maybe you outsource here and there, but really, you're it. You can get a lot further if you capitalize on that and remain accessible to your customer.
The fact is that you are what differentiates you from every other marketer out there. It doesn’t matter which niche you’re in, once again, the differentiating factor is you. If you are accessible, that's what will really stand out to your customer. Digital products are great, but you have to find a way to add your own spin on things… Personalization is one of those ways.
People need a human connection and they need to feel special. They may not even realize it, but that's really what they need. I think that's why so many of my customers gravitate toward me and shy away from some of the other marketers out there.
I’ve found that it’s possible to make good income with even a small email list if you take the time necessary to build a virtual relationship with your readers. In fact one of my good friends, Connie Ragen Green, built an income of over $100,000 a year when she had a list of fewer than 700 subscribers, so the fact that you’re starting at a low number shouldn’t be a reason to think that you have a long way to go.
How can you make it known that you are present for your customers? It can be as simple as being present on your blog and communicating with people who leave comments. You could be present for support when people ask you questions on your social media accounts. You can form helpful communities and be present in them. Just look for questions and be helpful. Put out products you know people are asking for. Just reach out to people just as you would if you were meeting them face-to-face. Care about people, share things about your life, and be human.
Another great way to personalize and make sure people know that you really care is to attend live events. Online marketing is wonderful in so many ways but nothing beats that in-person connection. One of the best ways to boost your business is to attend live events or even to run them. Let people see who you are. Even if people are only seeing the photographs after the fact, they’ll get a lot out of it by imagining they were there. That might sound strange, but there’s something very real about knowing that you were at a live event.
Personalization is truly the wave of the future for online marketers. There's so much competition out there that this is one of the best ways to stand out. You really have to pay attention to this – I beg of you. It doesn't matter how successful you are or how new you are, this is something you have to pay attention to.
I promise you that if you add the element of personalization and human connection, your business will improve. Even some of the biggest and best companies in the whole world are paying attention to this. That's why they are present in social media and why they communicate with people who have questions or concerns directly.
I've given you a few ideas here, but it's time for you to start to brainstorm ways you can personalize for your reader and customer experience. Think about how other people in your niche have personalized for their readers and customers. What could you do to take it a step above and beyond? What do you think that your customers would really start to respond to?
This can also be a good time for some solid self-reflection. Are you really present and do you care for the people who are reaching out to you? Do people feel comfortable reaching out to you in the first place? If not, then it's time to make some changes. It can be as simple as telling readers it's okay to contact you with their questions. If you're selling a product, ask people to email you with their success stories and their questions. Have people write you back within the emails you write to them. Plant the seed that it's okay to connect with you – that this is not a one-way relationship.
That's at the heart of it all, really. This is a relationship. You have to build a true relationship and personalization is such a big part of that. You have to figure out ways to be more accessible and present.
One thing you might fear in doing this is that it will add too much to your workload. That's a valid fear. I choose to respond to my customer questions, for the most part, myself. For some people, that's just not feasible or desirable. That may not be the right path for you, but maybe something else is. You have to do what you want to do, while keeping personalization in mind at the same time.
The fact is that no one can replace you. No matter how many people you outsource to or how many people you hire, you are the only person who is the head of your business. You are the expert your readers and customers are turning to. You have to be there for them. You have to make them feel comfortable. You really want them to connect with you on such a level that you are the one they trust.
One good example of this comes to mind. There are certain celebrities out there who are extremely busy and very popular but still manage to make it seem like their advice is tailored to you. For example, Dr. Oz has an extremely popular TV show where he makes medical and health recommendations.
He features a ton of different medical problems and solutions and people really connect to him because he has people just like them on his show all the time. If he says something works, they run to Amazon and buy it. You may not be Dr. Oz, but perhaps there is a way you can personalize your content to make people feel like there is a connection there for them.
The way I handle it is by making sure that I have products out there that address the needs of every single one of my customers. I have products out there for my most experienced customers and my most inexperienced customers.
I personally answer questions and address concerns. I share many stories of my struggles, even today. It's my hope that by creating products for all different kinds of people and experience levels and by sharing my own experiences and by really being there for people, that I’m able to personalize the experience and really stand out in a crowded field of marketers.
If you use personalization for your marketing, you'll attract many more readers, subscribers, and buyers. People need to feel like there's something in it for them. They need to feel that connection. They don't want to feel like something is so above their heads that they’ll never be able to make heads or tails of it. They don't want to feel like something is so beneath them they shouldn't even bother with it. They don't want to feel like you are so unreachable and so untouchable that you’re on another planet.
They want to feel like you are on the same level they are. That's part of the reason why I share my early struggles and the struggles I have even today. Yes, I've been very successful online but I've had my share of ups and downs. When I share my story, it helps others feel better and know that they, too, can succeed. There's no reason why you can't succeed and also no reason why you can’t help your readers and subscribers feel the same way.
Focus on personalization, starting today. It's up to you to brainstorm how this will work in your business and the impact it will have for your readers and subscribers. I challenge you to make this work, and I know that it can work for you. It does not have to take up all of your time, and it really could take less time when structured the right way. That human connection and one-on-one interaction is so undeniably important that it really deserves more than just a passing glance.